3. Luke 10
25 And, behold, a certain lawyer …
29 … willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?
In reading this entire citation, it was clear how the truth is in everyone, and we all know it when we hear it. The lawyer had it in him, obviously, since despite messing himself up in his day-to-day life with intellectualizing and debating, he knew the right answer to Jesus’ questions immediately.
I know for myself that I used to have to apply some twisted logic to account for the foolish things that I did, and the people around me were doing. What a relief to come here, and to learn and recognize the truth. Life is better — and honestly easier! — when I am seeking to do right by God and when I don’t need to justify myself.
I looked for what Mary Baker Eddy had to say about justifying, and found the following in the first edition of Science and Health, on the first page of Chapter 8 — Healing the Sick:
In warfare with error, you attack with intent to kill, and the wounded or cornered beast bites you if he can; the sin you assail turns on you and succeeds in getting the world to condemn you, that it may justify itself. It being found necessary to uncover sin to destroy it, you must tell a sinner what his sins are before you can do him good, and if he hates you for it, it is because he is unwilling to reform.
It seems to me that even as the human mind is “willing to justify himself,” Christian Science and this church has taught me to become unwilling to justify myself, unless it is in the method Mrs. Eddy provides in the third Daily Duty:
By his works he shall be judged, — and justified or condemned.
I am very grateful for this church, and for how truly joyful, fulfilling, and useful my life is now with Christian Science. Thank you!